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A list of songs, new and old, from NAMMY award-winning artists that deserve repeated listening.
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The Native American Music Awards (or the "Nammys") cover such a wide range of musical styles and artists that it's hard to choose just a few representative songs. From hip-hop and gospel to hard rock and bluegrass, dozens of Native musicians continue to celebrate and explore music and the role it plays in Native culture. Here's a list of songs, new and old, from this year's Nammy award-winning artists that deserve repeated listening.
Blackfire
Silence is a Weapon
Percussive hard rock, grungy guitar, and a twinge of thrash metal earned Blackfire the 2008 Nammy Record of the Year for "Silence is a Weapon." On the title track you can hear the superb production values that also won a Native Heart Nammy for producer Ed Stasium.
Jana Mashonee
Sunday Morning
Showcasing her stunning vocals, Mashonee's simple arrangement will sweep you away.
Brulé and AIRO
Ghost Dance
Brulé and AIRO connect the past, present, and future with dramatic instrumentation and polyrythmic beats. Close your eyes and let the path present itself to you.
Crow Girls
Call on Me
The Crow Girls are accompanied by a lonesome fiddle on this beautiful track that will have you listening again and again.
Jim Boyd
Blues to Bluegrass
A serious blend of honky-tonk roots, country blues, and great musicianship makes Jim Boyd hard to categorize — maybe that's one reason he picked up the 2008 Nammy for Artist of the Year.
Tracy Bone
Sweetest Surprise
Put on some Tracy Bone and even the most boring drive will get interesting. This songstress writes out from the heart, and it shows.
Cheryl Bear
Hey Cuzzin'
Family is one of our great treasures, and Cheryl Bear's "Hey Cuzzin'" paints a quick picture of some memorable people that just might resemble some of your tribe. From her 2007 album The Good Road on Frybread Music, this track will get you smiling.
Jan Michael Looking Wolf
Storms Eye
Meditative, contemplative, and serene are some of the words commonly used to describe Jan Michael Looking Wolf's solo flute work.
Stevie Salas
Pumpin It Up
A funky jam that'll motivate anyone, "Pumpin It Up" is classic Stevie Salas. Blending hard rock, funk, pop, and R&B is not easy — but Salas makes it seem effortless and fun.
Cherokee National Youth Choir
When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder
An interpretation of a classic gospel tune sung in Cherokee, "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder" is an excellent introduction to the group if you've never heard them. The Cherokee National Youth Choir puts out a CD each year of gospel music in their native tongue.
Gary Small & The Coyote Bros.
Knock Me Out
Gary Small & The Coyote Bros. offer up down-home riffs and groovy blues that'll make you want to scoot onto the dance floor and boogie on down with your partner.
